Office of Academic Support

Suggestions

Many students come to the clinic with
questions. Here are some suggestions, based on issues students have
recently raised.

Asking questions in class

Students have said they sometimes feel
frustrated and more confused after asking a question in class. Has this
happened to you? When you attempt to ask a question, the words come
out differently than you planned. You end up not saying what you mean,
and then the professor cannot address your real question.

This common occurrence can be easily
avoided. Here's what you should do:

1. Decide
what kind of answer your question requires. Is it a what,
why, where, when or how answer? Thinking about
your question as a category will help direct your focus.

2. Jot down a key word
or two to make sure you include the necessary details.

3. If you find the
answer to your question confusing, then ask for clarity by re-stating
the answer. Say, for example, "I heard you say this: [restate
what you heard]. Is that correct?" By doing this, you and the
teacher can focus on the needed information. The teacher will know better
what you need to know.

Remember: Asking questions
is a natural part of the learning process. A well-phrased question will
help you understand new material.

Multiple Choice Tests

Many students say this
after taking multiple-choice tests: "I knew the material, but the
question was tricky."
To prepare, here are
some things to do.

1. Over-study.

Multiple choice questions
are designed to test your understanding and application of the material.
Know the details and make sure you understand the terminology.â€¨
For example, on a recent
test, a number of students missed the following question because they
confused Piaget's explanation of "accommodating" with "assimilating."
They could not then properly apply the terms to the given situation.

Here is the actual
question: "An infant has always used one hand to pick up a small
ball but now, when faced with a large beach ball, picks it up with two
hands. In Piaget's terms, the change from one hand to two is called:"
a. conserving
b. equalizing
c. accommodating
d. assimilating

2. Be resourceful

When the textbook's
explanation is too wordy or unclear, seek other sources, such as dictionaries,
your teacher, a review book, or Google. In the question above, you might
look up the definitions of "accommodating" and "assimilation"
to understand Piaget's use of each term